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5 Tips to Protect Your Home and Family this Summer

Take the Heat Off

The warm temperatures of summer usually signal a lot of pending fun times. Pool parties, backyard barbecues and fun days at the beach are the stuff that summers are made of. But considering that summer is also the peak season for burglary as well as accidents involving children, the warm weather also brings considerable dangers that smart families have to prepare for. Here, we lay out five tips for protecting your home and family during the summer season.

Fence off your pool and add alarm sensors to the gate.

Every day in America, two children under the age of 14 die from unintentional drowning. If you have a pool or hot tub in your backyard, it’s critical that you close it off to prevent curious children in your home from accidentally falling in. That means installing a safety fence around the water source with locks that can’t easily be bypassed. Also, consider installing a wireless outdoor alarm sensor on your pool’s gate and linking it to your home security system. That way, if the gate to the pool is ever opened and you’re not around, you will be notified.

It only takes one inch of water for a child to drown, so when it comes to your pool or hot tub, it’s definitely better to be safe than sorry.

Be careful around windows.

During the dog days of summer, we all live for those rare spurts of relief from the sweltering heat. At the first sign of a cool breeze, most of us can’t wait to crack open a window to let in some fresh air. But beware — more children fall from windows in summer than in any other season. To prevent any accidents in your home, install window guards or stops on all upper level windows, and keep all climbable furniture away from open windows. And of course, if you have window sensors installed on all upper-level windows, your home security system will alert you when a window unexpectedly opens.

Burglar-proof your backyard.

Summer is burglary season, and most thieves are looking for an easy way in. Concealed from street view, your backyard is the place that grants them the privacy they need to discreetly break in to your home or snag any valuables you may have left lying outside. There are three easy measures you can take to secure your yard:

Chain, padlock or remove ladders from plain sight. Burglars are often given a helping hand into the homes they rob by ladders left lying in the yard.

Store tools out of sight. Hammers, screwdrivers and drills are not only expensive to replace, but they could be used to help someone gain access to your home.

Chain and padlock patio furniture when not in use. Exceptionally bold burglars have been known to load up their pickup trucks with nice-looking outdoor pieces.

Reinforce the security of your sliding glass doors.

Sliding glass doors that open to the backyard are pretty common on most homes. Not only do they let in a great deal of natural light, but they can also let in a burglar or two if you’re not careful. The standard locking mechanism on most of these doors is pretty flimsy, so consider adding another lock or placing a wooden dowel in the tracks. For the most peace of mind, be sure to add an alarm sensor to your sliding door that will immediately alert you if there are any breaches.

Secure your shed.

If you have a shed on your property, you’re probably in and out of it all summer. It’s where your lawnmower and other pricey home improvement items are, and burglars are counting on you to leave it wide open for them. That’s why it’s important to keep your shed locked up as tight as possible. Replace the manufacturer’s closure with a sturdy hasp and staple set, and heavy padlock. And for added security, you can add a wireless sensor that’s linked up to your home security system. That way, you’ll know immediately if someone has breached your shed.

This summer, don’t let the sun go down on safety. Kee these tips in mind, and you’ll be well on your way to an incident-free season.

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